Discover 33 years of musical excellence, leadership, and community.
Past
The history of Midwest Young Artists Conservatory is a story of a compelling mission, hard work, and serendipity. MYAC was founded in February 1993 in Evanston. We have never wavered from our mission: “to build a home with the power of music to enrich the lives of our students and community”.
Present
The vision of these first MYAC parents and Dr. Allan Dennis has resulted in the region’s largest youth music ensemble program. Housed in the beautifully transformed Old Stockade Building at Fort Sheridan, MYAC is bursting at the seams with students enrolled in orchestra, chamber music, jazz, and choral ensembles. Our programs consist of 6 orchestras, 40+ chamber ensembles, 3 jazz big bands including 7 combos, 3 choral ensembles, music theory & composition classes, festivals and workshops, summer camps, master classes, and national concerto and chamber competitions.
Future
MYAC continues to dream big; notably, we have an ambitious plan to create a campus that includes a state of the art concert hall, complementing our beautiful rehearsal spaces at foridan and serving both our ensembles and the wider community.
Midwest Young Artists Founded
President and Founder Dr. Allan Dennis created MYA to accomplish one mission: to build a home and enrich the community with the power of music. The inaugural class consisted of just 55 young musicians.
Program Growth
Esteemed faculty Frank Portolese, Bruce Hall, and Patrick Pearson spearheaded the jazz program, choral program, and prep orchestra. Partnerships grew from there; partnerships with Northwestern University and Walgreens were born of new diverse programming and musical excellence. The Walgreens Concerto Competition debuted, and went on to bring students from the country together at MYA to exercise that which is integral to orchestral tradition: confidence, musicality, and spirited competition.
Concert Tour: Scotland
MYA finds a permanent home in Fort Sheridan
World-renowned pianist Menahem Pressler performed Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 as a guest artist with Symphony Orchestra.
Concert Tours: Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Aberdeen
Emmy winning composer, producer, and musical educator Gary Fry creates Voices Rising. Distinguished musicians and conductors Rufus Reid, Pepe Romero and Leopold Slatkin join MYA as guest artists.
Concert Tours: China and Korea
Celebrated pianist Lang Lang is honored at our Noteworthy Night Gala
Chris Madsen joins as Jazz Band Director and Jessica Jorden pioneers MYA classes for preschool.
Concert Tour: Germany
1st MYA & Lang Lang Foundation International Music Collaboration
Every year moving forward, the Lang Lang International Music Foundation partners with us for a wonderful concert series featuring their Young Scholars. The first concert of many took place at Chicago's Millennium Park.
Concert Tours: France and the Netherlands
Award winning cellist Yo Yo Ma perfoms as a guest artist and he is honored at the Crescendo Gala
MYA continues to grow: Stevi Marks creates VocalPoint, Voices Rising performs at Carnegie Hall, and Patrick Pearson wins the Take Note Award
We become MYAC: Midwest Young Artists Conservatory
Concert Tours: Ireland and Scotland
MYAC Annual Gala features Jimmy Chamberlin, guest drummer of Smashing Pumpkins. Honorees include Jeff Alexander and Don Tunkle
Covid19: 'The Tent Years'
MYAC remained determined to provide students a safe space to play music. Rather than accept silence, MYAC connected the world through music; over Zoom, MYAC's online programming spanned Panama, Hong Kong, Cape Town, India, Mexico, and 27 different states in the US. Determined to bring students together, we then put up a tent, barriers, and individual cubes to safely launch outdoor programming,
A New America: An Original Piece
As loss and pain caused by the Highland Park Shooting reverberated through our neighborhood, MYAC students performed a musical response by composer and MYAC registrar Dr. Jean Milew.
“Our response starts with us performing and focusing on music to heal our own souls. The hope is that it will also heal other peoples’ souls and bring us all closer together.” - Dr. Allan Dennis
First O'Malley Foundation National Concerto Competition
Formerly the Walgreens Competition
Concert Tours: Pacific Northwest (Portland, Seattle, Vancouver)
Symphony Center is Approved
This new hub will serve as a premier rehearsal and performance space for MYAC and become a cultural beacon for Lake County communities, businesses, and arts organizations, especially those focused on youth.